Red Mile: Wind Chime clicks in Kentucky Championship Series

Wind Chime bounced back after breaking stride in the final of the Oak Grove Sires Stakes last time out to take today's lone $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series dash for 2-year-old trotting fillies at The Red Mile. Todd McCarthy drove Wind Chime to the 1:54 2/5 victory and led a sweep of the top two spots for trainer Tony Alagna.

McCarthy floated Wind Chime out from post three as Moni Lisa (Yannick Gingras) blasted to the top from post nine. Moni Lisa chopped out the opening quarter in 28 3/5 and then gave way grudgingly to sit in the pocket behind Wind Chime nearing the 56 second half-mile marker. On the last turn, New Jersey Sire Stakes champion and 2-5 favorite Walner Payton (Dexter Dunn) went first-over out of fifth, and she would advance into second on the outside after Wind Chime clicked off three-quarters in 1:25 3/5.

Walner Payton continued to make gains on the rim and got onto even terms with Wind Chime in mid-stretch, but Wind Chime had a bit left in reserve in the late stages and managed to repel Walner Payton. From there, Wind Chime still wasn't out of the woods as Moni Lisa had space on the outside and If The Shoe Fits (Andy McCarthy), was rallying after angling off the rail, but Wind Chime held firm on the front and hit the wire a neck to the good over If The Shoe Fits. Moni Lisa was third and Walner Payton fourth.

A Father Patrick-Wind Stroll half-sister to Hambletonian finalist Fast As The Wind, Wind Chime is trained by Alagna for owners Howard Taylor, Brad Grant, and Judith Taylor. Bred by Tony Holmes and Walter Zent, Wind Chime was a $60,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase and has four wins in five starts. She has pocketed $70,850 and paid $12.30 to win as a 5-1 offering.

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Rookie filly trotters also raced in three $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series divisions and a trio of $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod Series tests. Winning in the Commonwealth were:

--Railee Something (by International Moni and bred by owner Ronald Mersky) in 1:55 for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Chris Ryder;

--Girls In Pink (by Muscle Hill and bred by Herb Liverman) in 1:56 2/5 for Dunn, trainer Mark Harder, and owners Stephen Palermo, Jeffery Ruch, Dr. Terry Ruch, and Dean Lockhart;

--Hush Moni (by Chapter Seven and bred by owner Moni Maker Stable) in 1:56 for driver Andy McCarthy and trainer Domenico Cecere.

The Kentucky Golden Rod Series races went to:

--Catholic (by Muscle Hill and bred by owner Diamond Creek) in 1:57 for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Marcus Melander;

--Caviart Gwen (by Father Patrick and bred by owner Caviart Farms) in 1:55 3/5 for driver Andy McCarthy and trainer Noel Daley;

--Sadie Hanover (by Chapter Seven and bred by Hanover Shoe Farms) in 1:56 4/5 for driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Linda Toscano, and owners The Bay's Stable LLC., Blue Ridge Stable, Carmen Iannacone, and Gary Cocco.